This invention relates to a method of restoring an impaired software image and to a computer network arrangement.
Particularly, although not exclusively, the invention relates to a method of restoring an impaired software image which is associated with a networked computer, which method obviates the requirement to use standard recovery tools such as recovery CD's/DVD's, dedicated (Intranet or Internet) recovery file servers and the need to occupy substantial parts of local data stores such as a hard disk.
As will be appreciated, data recovery using specific recovery disks such as CD's and DVD's, although effective in broad terms, inevitably requires that the recovery disk be available, and dictates, in addition, that the computer in need of support be associated with an appropriate CD/DVD drive.
Although, as an alternative, it is possible to maintain, locally, a computer copy of important software components, by using an unoccupied hard disk partition, for example, this uses a large amount of data storage space, which could be better used for other purposes.
Other proposals, such as Rembo Technology SARL's “REMBO” Operating System makes use of a dedicated server which, in the event of a software failure, can supply appropriate restoration instructions to the networked computer concerned. However, servers of this type are expensive to install and to maintain, and this proposal is thus commercially unviable in many situations.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of restoring an impaired software image and to provide an improved computer network arrangement which enables this process to be effected.